Witham Cricket Club skipper Jake Wakelin wants his players to stay focused as they head into their final two games of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties division one season.

It has been a hugely successful campaign for a Witham side that has spent the previous two battling to avoid relegation and the lowest they can finish is third in division one this season.

However, back-to-back defeats in the last two weeks – the latest coming with a 123-run loss at third-placed Mildenhall – means hopes of challenging for the title are now looking slim and they know they need to step up their game to stay in the top two.

Mildenhall’s victory saw them move up to within four points of Witham, so Wakelin wants his team to put their disappointment in Suffolk behind them as they return to home action against Mistley today.

The Witham skipper said: “We know we can’t finish any lower than third so it’s still been a great season and that will be the best the club has had for a long time.

“But it will be a great achievement to finish in the top two after the last few years that we’ve had and that’s what we have to focus on. There’s still a great feeling around the club and even though we were hurting after losing on Saturday, we quickly started looking forwards again.

“We’ll train as normal this week and we know what is needed.

“There’s also the fact that (leaders) Sudbury are playing Mildenhall on Saturday.

“If Sudbury win then it would confirm second place for us if we also win and if Mildenhall win then you never know what could happen, but we have to win ourselves and we have to focus on what we need to do.”

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